How to start a pet sitting business: step-by-step guide

More people own pets today, and fewer have time to look after them during work hours, travel, or emergencies. The demand for professional pet sitters is real, and the numbers reflect it.

In this blog, we'll cover whether pet sitting is worth starting, the services available, 11 steps to launch, and what growing beyond solo actually looks like.

Is a pet sitting business worth starting?

The global pet sitting market was valued at $3.2 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach $6.7 billion by 2033, growing at 10.8% annually according to Grand View Research. North America holds 38.7% of that market, driven by rising pet ownership and working professionals who need reliable pet care.

According to Pet Sitters International's 2026 State of the Industry Survey, the average US pet sitting business generated $112,423 in revenue in 2025 - up 11% from 2023. 68% of operators surveyed expect revenue to continue growing.

Startup costs run $500 to $3,000, and profit margins typically reach 50 to 70%. Few service businesses offer that combination.

Types of pet sitting services

Each has different earning potential and scheduling demands.

Drop-in visits: You visit the pet at the owner's home. Typically 30 to 60 minutes. Rates run $20 to $35 per visit.

Overnight sitting: You stay at the client's home. Rates range from $75 to $150 per night.

Dog walking: Standalone walk service. Often bundled with sitting or offered separately.

Doggy daycare: You host pets at your home during the day. Higher volume, more logistics.

Boarding: Pets stay at your home overnight. Similar to daycare but longer duration.

Specialized care: Senior pets, medicated animals, exotic pets. Commands premium pricing.

11 steps to start a pet sitting business

Step 1: Research your market

Check what pet sitting services already operate in your area and what they charge. Neighborhoods with high pet ownership and working professionals are the most reliable starting markets.

Step 2: Choose your pet sitting business model

Solo is simpler to start. Building a team from day one scales faster but adds complexity. Your model affects your legal structure, pricing, and how you handle demand.

Step 3: Write a business plan

A business plan does not need to be long.

Answer three questions:

What services, who are your customers, and how many clients to cover costs. Work the numbers before spending anything.

Step 4: Register your business and understand legal requirements

Set up an LLC to separate personal liability. Register with your state, get an EIN, and check whether your city requires a business license for home-based services. Requirements vary by location.

Step 5: Get certified and insured

Pet first aid and CPR certification builds client trust. General liability insurance protects you if an animal gets injured in your care. Providers like Pet Sitters Associates offer pet-sitter-specific coverage for risks solo operators face.

Step 6: Calculate the startup costs

A solo operation typically costs $500 to $3,000 to launch. This covers business registration, liability insurance, a basic website, scheduling software, and supplies. Keep initial spend lean and reinvest from early revenue.

Step 7: Prepare for pet care responsibilities

Know how to recognize signs of illness, handle common animal behavior, and respond to emergencies. Clients are trusting you with animals they treat as family.

Step 8: Set up your booking and payment process

Set up a simple booking and payment process before you take your first client. Decide how clients will request visits, how you will confirm them, and how you will collect payment. A clear process from the start prevents scheduling confusion and late or missed payments as your client list grows.

Step 9: Set your pricing based on competitor research

Check what local competitors charge. Price within 10 to 15 percent of the market average. Underpricing signals inexperience. Overpricing without reputation to support it loses clients to established sitters.

Step 10: Market your business

Set up a Google Business Profile first. It puts you in front of local searches at no cost. Ask satisfied clients for reviews. Word of mouth and local SEO drive most early pet sitting growth.

Step 11: Grow your pet sitting business

Once consistently booked, consider hiring, adding services, or expanding your service area. Document your processes before scaling so new team members can deliver the same quality.

Real-life example of starting a pet sitting business

StaynPlayPetz started as a small pet sitting operation in Australia, growing from solo dog sitting to a recognized local brand through reliability and consistent client communication. AMP's mini business success story on StaynPlayPetz highlights how clear service boundaries, transparent pricing, and active community presence drove steady growth without significant marketing spend.

The key lesson: trust is built through consistency, not advertising.

Growing beyond solo: pet sitting apps vs owning your platform

Many pet sitters hit a ceiling as solo operators. Joining marketplace apps like Rover or Wag is the obvious next step, but it comes at a cost.

• Rover takes roughly 20% of every booking made through their platform.
• Wag takes up to 40%.
• Both platforms own the customer relationship. If they change their algorithm or policies, your business feels it.

The alternative is owning your own platform. You control pricing, branding, and customer data. You earn from every booking rather than paying commission on it.

RadicalStart's Uber for Dog Walking is a ready-made solution for entrepreneurs who want to launch their own pet care platform. It includes a pet owner app, a walker app, and an admin panel to manage everything. You can launch your own dog walking and pet sitting platform in weeks at a one-time cost, without building from scratch.

Common pet sitting business challenges and how to handle them

Last-minute cancellations are among the most common frustrations. Pet sitters on Reddit's r/petsitting community report recurring clients who cancel repeatedly and expect availability to roll over without consequences. The fix is a clear cancellation policy in your contract, enforced consistently from the first booking.

• No-shows from new clients: Require a deposit or credit card on file before confirming any booking.
• Aggressive or anxious animals: Build a meet-and-greet step before the first sitting. It surfaces compatibility issues before they become problems.
• Inconsistent income in slow seasons: Build recurring weekly clients before relying on seasonal demand. Recurring contracts stabilize revenue.
• Burnout from over-scheduling: Set a daily capacity limit and stick to it. Overcommitting leads to quality drops, which leads to lost referrals.

Conclusion

A pet sitting business is one of the most accessible service businesses to start. Low startup costs, high margins, and real demand make it a practical choice for entrepreneurs.

Start focused, build your reputation locally, and put systems in place before you need them. When you're ready to move beyond solo, RadicalStart's ready-made dog walking and pet sitting platform is built for exactly that.